SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALIBRATING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20100324541A1
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Power Medical Interventions, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,743,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00725 Calibration or performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02156 Calibration means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

A calibration system for a surgical instrument. The calibration system includes an actuator, such as a motor system and a flexible shaft. The calibration system also includes a surgical instrument actuatable by the actuator. The calibration system also include calibration data corresponding to the surgical instrument. A processor is configured to process the calibration data for determining a position of the surgical instrument. The calibration system may include a sensor configured to provide a signal corresponding to a movement of the actuator, the processor being further configured to process the signal for determining a position of the surgical instrument.

Claims

1-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A method for calibrating a surgical end effector for use with a surgical instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

operating the surgical end effector a first time;

determining a correction factor for the surgical end effector;

storing the correction factor in a memory of the surgical end effector;

connecting the surgical end effector to the surgical instrument;

reading, via a processor of the surgical instrument, the correction factor stored in the memory of the surgical end effector; and

operating the surgical end effector a second time, via the surgical instrument, in correspondence with the correction factor stored in the surgical end effector.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the surgical end effector is a linear surgical stapler.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the surgical end effector is a circular surgical stapler.

43. The method according to claim 40, wherein the surgical end effector operatively cooperates with a surgical cutter.

44. The method according to claim 40, wherein the surgical end effector includes first and second components that are movable relative to each other.

45. The method according to claim 44, further comprising the step of providing calibration data corresponding to a position of the surgical end effector, the position being a position of the first and second components relative to each other.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the calibration data includes a relative distance between the first component and the second component.

47. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of determining the correction factor by determining a difference between an actual amount of actuation required to actuate the surgical end effector from a first position to a second position and an expected amount of actuation required to actuate the surgical end effector from the first position to the second position.

48. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of providing to the processor a signal corresponding to a movement of the surgical instrument and determining a position of the surgical end effector in accordance with the signal.

49. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of providing a signal, via a sensor, corresponding to a movement of the surgical instrument.

50. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of actuating the surgical end effector by a motor via a rotatable drive shaft coupleable to the surgical end effector and the motor.

51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of determining a difference between an actual number of rotations of the rotatable drive shaft required to actuate the surgical end effector from a first position to a second position, and an expected number of rotations of the drive shaft required to actuate the surgical end effector from the first position to the second position.

52. The method according to claim 40, wherein the surgical end effector is one of a plurality of the same surgical end effectors, each surgical end effector of the plurality of the same surgical end effectors having a different correction factor.

53. The method according to claim 40, wherein the surgical end effector is a surgical cutter.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the surgical cutter operatively cooperates with a surgical stapler.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the surgical cutter includes first and second components that are movable relative to each other.

56. The method according to claim 55, further comprising the step of providing calibration data corresponding to a position of the surgical cutter, the position being a position of the first and second components relative to each other.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the calibration data includes a relative distance between the first component and the second component.

58. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of determining the correction factor by determining a difference between an actual amount of actuation required to actuate the surgical cutter from a first position to a second position and an expected amount of actuation required to actuate the surgical cutter from the first position to the second position.

59. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of providing to the processor a signal corresponding to a movement of the surgical instrument and determining a position of the surgical cutter in accordance with the signal.

60. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of providing a signal, via a sensor, corresponding to a movement of the surgical instrument.

61. The method according to claim 53, further comprising the step of actuating the surgical cutter by a motor via a rotatable drive shaft coupleable to the surgical cutter and the motor.

62. The method according to claim 61, further comprising the step of determining a difference between an actual number of rotations of the rotatable drive shaft required to actuate the surgical cutter from a first position to a second position, and an expected number of rotations of the drive shaft required to actuate the surgical cutter from the first position to the second position.

63. The method according to claim 53, wherein the surgical cutter is one of a plurality of the same surgical cutters, each surgical cutter of the plurality of the same surgical cutters having a different correction factor.

64. A method for calibrating a surgical end effector, the method comprising the steps of:

actuating the surgical end effector;

determining a correction factor for the surgical end effector;

storing the correction factor in a memory of the surgical end effector;

connecting the surgical end effector to an end effector actuator having a processor;

reading, via the processor, the correction factor from the memory of the surgical end effector; and

actuating, via the processor, the end effector actuator to re-actuate the surgical end effector in correspondence with the correction factor of the surgical end effector.

65. The method according to claim 64, wherein the surgical end effector is selected from a group including at least one of a surgical stapler, a surgical cutter, a surgical stapler-cutter, a linear surgical stapler, a linear surgical stapler-cutter, a circular surgical stapler, a circular surgical stapler-cutter, a surgical clip applier, a surgical clip ligator, a surgical clamping device, a vessel expanding device, a lumen expanding device, a scalpel, and a fluid delivery device.

66. The method according to claim 64, wherein the surgical end effector includes first and second components that are movable relative to each other.

67. The method according to claim 66, further comprising the step of providing calibration data corresponding to a position of the surgical end effector, the position being a position of the first and second components relative to each other.

68. The method according to claim 64, further comprising the step of determining the correction factor by determining a difference between an actual amount of actuation required to actuate the surgical instrument from a first position to a second position and an expected amount of actuation required to actuate the surgical end effector from the first position to the second position.

69. The method according to claim 64, further comprising the step of providing to the processor a signal corresponding to a movement of the end effector actuator and determining a position of the surgical end effector in accordance with the signal.

70. The method according to claim 64, further comprising the step of providing a signal, via a sensor, corresponding to a movement of the end effector actuator.

71. The method according to claim 64, further comprising the step of actuating the surgical end effector by a motor via a rotatable drive shaft coupleable to the surgical end effector and the motor.

72. The method according to claim 71, further comprising the step of determining a difference between an actual number of rotations of the rotatable drive shaft required to actuate the surgical end effector from a first position to a second position, and an expected number of rotations of the drive shaft required to actuate the surgical end effector from the first position to the second position.

73. The method according to claim 64, wherein the surgical end effector is one of a plurality of the same surgical end effectors, each surgical end effector of the plurality of the same surgical end effectors having a different correction factor.